Various types of tools may be deployed and operated in a wellbore in conjunction with drilling, completion and production operations. Many such tools may be deployed, retrieved or operated using a nonelectric cable known as a slickline, which may be a single round strand of wire or a multi-strand braided line. In certain operations, it may be desirable to deploy or operate a device in a wellbore that already contains a line. For example, after a downhole tool has been deployed into a wellbore using a slickline, it may be desirable to deploy a second downhole tool to perform an operation in the wellbore before the slickline is retrieved or in the event the first downhole tool or the slickline become stuck in the wellbore. It has been found, however, that current systems fail to effectively utilize previously-deployed line within a wellbore as a means to propel a device through the wellbore. In fact, current devices are generally unable to travel downhole at all while the wellbore contains a line.
In addition, it has been found, that use of slickline to deploy, retrieve or operate downhole tools is difficult in certain wellbores having unfavorable characteristics, such as slanted wells, deviated wells, lateral wells, horizontal wells and wells having restrictions. Specifically, due to the lack of gravity available to propel the tool and/or the slickline downhole, operations in such wellbores typically require other conveyance systems such as wireline, coiled tubing, jointed tubing or the like. These conveyance systems, however, typically involve more surface equipment and set up time and are generally more costly to operate.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for improved systems and methods of deploying, retrieving or operating downhole tools in a wellbore using slickline. In addition, a need has arisen for improved systems and methods of using slickline in wellbores having unfavorable characteristics.